Several different medications, as well as surgical treatments, may help reduce Crohn’s disease symptoms.

Surgery, medications, and alternative therapies all help alleviate Crohn’s symptoms.

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There’s no cure for Crohn’s disease, but there are several therapies available to help manage symptoms.

Most people with Crohn’s disease can lead a fairly normal life with treatment.

The treatments your doctor recommends will depend on the severity and type of symptoms you’re experiencing, as well as what parts of your digestive tract are affected.

The two main types of treatment for Crohn’s disease are medication and surgery.

Medications for Crohn’s Disease

There are a number of medicines available to treat Crohn’s disease.

Your doctor may recommend one or more drugs, depending on which parts of the digestive tract are causing your symptoms.

Most medications to treat Crohn’s disease reduce inflammation and suppress the immune system.

Some medicines are used to treat flares, when symptoms are at their worst. Other medicines help prevent the return of symptoms once they’ve gone away.

Common medicines for Crohn’s disease include:

Aminosalicylates (5-ASAs) These drugs help reduce inflammation in the digestive tract, especially in the colon. (1)

Aminosalicylates are generally prescribed for people with mild to moderate symptoms. According to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, they’re most useful as a maintenance treatment to prevent relapses. (1)

Their effects are localized to the intestines, and they have fewer side effects than some of the other medications used to treat Crohn’s.

Apriso, Asacol, Delzicol, Lialda, or Pentasa (mesalamine) and Azulfidine (sulfasalazine) are the most commonly prescribed aminosalicylates used to treat Crohn’s disease. (3)

Corticosteroids Also known simply as steroids, these drugs help reduce inflammation and immune system activity.

They’re generally prescribed for people with moderate to severe symptoms, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2)

A study published in August 2014 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology found that acupuncture — combined with herb burning, called moxibustion — led to significantly less Crohn’s disease activity, as shown by self-reporting. (7)

Herbal and plant-based remediesAccording to an April 2015 article in the journal Annals of Gastroenterology,herbal and plant remedies that have been shown in studies to reduce active Crohn’s disease include wormwood, cannabis, Boswellia serrata, and Tripterygium wilfordii. (8)

Tell your doctor if you use any complementary therapies, especially if you’re taking dietary supplements or vitamins.

These products may contain ingredients that could interact with other medications you’re taking, and some supplements may contain impurities or have dangerous side effects. (3)